chapter 2

Ten years ago…..

“Devin, wake up we don’t have time for this. In about five minute Mr. Creepy is going to turn off the power and water” Susan shook her little brother who was supposed to be out of the house in fifteen minutes. The money for rent was late again but instead of their landlord chasing them out to the street he just switched off the power and water until they pay him which usually takes up to a week. But Susan was getting paid this afternoon from her job as a waitress in the nearest diner.

“Not again!“ muttered Devin running to take a shower. It was not the first time this happened truly speaking it happened every month but now that Susan had a job. She hoped things will be much easier. She was not living in a lavish neighbourhood. It was a small rundown two bedroom apartment for her and brother. Their father died when Susan was sixteen and they were sent to foster care but after Susan turned eighteen she got an apartment and was lucky enough to locate Devin and take him with.

She put on her mustard and red uniform with her black pumps. And ran to the kitchen to make sure Devin had a warm breakfast before the power is gone. There wasn’t much but some leftover pizza from last night and she threw it in the microwave before switching the kettle on for his coffee, and like clock work the power went off at exactly six am. That was a cue for Susan to leave, her shift started in half an hour and she didn’t have money for a cab for both of them so, Devin was going to take the last twenty bucks she had.

Susan was not worried she was going to get her check when her shift ended anyway. “ Devin I’m leaving. Your pizza is the microwave and water already boiled for coffee” she yelled taking her small leather sling bag rushing to the door.

“Don’t yell woman, we live in a match box” answered Devin coming into the kitchen with a towel wrapped around his waist and Susan shook her head at his attitude before taking the twenty bucks and handing it to the boy before she forgot and gave him another reason to bunk school.

“Don’t call me woman, I’m only two years older than you.” She kissed his wet hair making him groan running back to the door

“Whatever. Be safe sis” he yelled as Susan went out of the room closing the door shut. She tiptoed to the creaking stairs so she didn’t alert Mr. Creepy the man hardly said a word but his glare told you exactly how he felt about the situation. But Susan was grateful he never once threatened to throw them out.

She sighed when she managed to get out of the building without being caught and ran the rest of the twenty minutes five blocks to the diner where she worked. And she sighed when she finally saw the big mustard and red sign alerting her she was almost there. Just in time

She opened the door and was welcomed by the smell of pan cakes and waffles their speciality on the breakfast menu. She greeted her colleague Sophia who was working the till making sure they had enough change for the morning rush hour.

“Hello, Sophia. How was your night?” she put her sling bag on the bottom of the till. It had nothing but she liked the bag and thought it broke the mustard colour on her uniform dress.

“Hey, Susan. Same as always, Andrew came back home drunk again and I hardly slept a wink” Andrew was Sophia’s husband who just recently got fired from his construction job and as you could tell he didn’t take it well. But Sophia was getting the short end of the stick when he was drunk. Sometimes she even came to sleep at her apartment that was just a block away.

“Did he touch you?” she yelled going to the kitchen to see if they needed help before she could re-wipe the tables just to make them extra ready.

“No, he will never do that. I just don’t like his words that’s all” she was in denial but Susan knew it was not her business. So, she nodded coming out with a cloth in her hand to wipe the tables again.

“I’m glad.” She gave her a side hug before rushing to the tables before the diner was going to open in ten minutes

“They don’t pay you enough for that. You already wiped them last night, Suzie don’t overwork yourself. You’re too pretty for that” yelled Sophia. She was not wrong Susan was very pretty. Long black hair, big hazel eyes, square jaw and red plump lips.

“I know, but I like them clean” she yelled back as the first customer of the day entered the diner and like every day the rush hour was busy. She served almost hundred customers alone because Denise didn’t pitch up for her shift. But she was glad when ten o’clock came and the diner got quiet for a bit. She huffed throwing the cloth on the dirty table.

“That was intense” she threw her head back trying to relax before the lunch rush started. She worked two shift per day to afford rent and food for Devin and her self. The money was not enough for more than that.

“Yep. But I’m glad you handled it like a professional waitress. Denise must have been drunk again or Vincent is back in town” scoffed Sophia at that thought. Vincent was a scumbag that only came back to Denise’s life when he was broke but the moment he gets a paying job he leaves her high and dry. But the woman didn’t learn she loved the guy and every time he leaves Susan and Sophia have to pick up the pieces.

“I think his back. I saw his truck after our shift but I was tired so I never said a word” Susan confessed as the door to the diner opened with a jiggle alerting the people inside that someone just got in. 

Both women looked at the door and they could believe their eyes. The man in front of them was hard-core handsome and he didn’t belong at the dump like the diner. He was wearing blue expensive jeans. His black button down shirt clinging to his muscular chest and Susan eyes went to his face and found grey intense eyes staring at her, making her hang her head in embarrassment. The man commanded respect and Susan could not help but blush at that.

“Susan, can you show this handsome man a clean table” said Sophia blushing, drawing Susan out of her naughty thoughts. She stood up going to the man and showed him to the corner table where he will be far from the dirty tables she haven’t cleaned yet. At this time of day they were hardly customers in the diner that’s why Susan hadn’t finished cleaning yet.

“I’m Susan your waiter, what can I get you today?” she smiled politely her head hanged lowly not being able to look the man in the eye.

‘I’m Walter and what do you recommend?” Susan was surprised at his request. Man like him knew what they wanted and they hardly talked with girls like them. They were the lowest in the food chain. 

“Um..we only have breakfast items in the menu since the chef is still preparing lunch but I can ask him to hurry if you’re eager for our famous barbeque ribs” she tried smiling but no matter what she couldn’t lift her head to look the guy in the eyes, and if she could she would have noticed the big smirk Walter was wearing as she unknowingly submitted to him.

“Then get me black coffee, no sugar while I wait for this ribs you talk fondly about” Susan smiled writing down the order and almost tripped rushing to the kitchen her knees already weak. What the hell was happening to her?

“What took you so long? Sophia rushed to kitchen seeing Susan red cheeks “what did he say? Was he flirting with you! I saw the way he was looking at you” Sophia smirked making Susan cheeks even more red

“he was not flirting with me Sophia, he was giving me his order, and I did my job now go back to the till in case someone comes to the diner. Chad won’t be happy if he finds no one in the front” Sophia scoffed running back to the front. It was true Chad always came after the morning rush to check out the tills then leaves only to come back after lunch to do the same.

Susan came back with a hot cup of coffee giving it to Walter, and their fingers touched at the change leaving trances of electricity on Susan fingers. “The ribs will be ready in twenty minutes” she rushed her words ready to run. She didn’t like how this man made her feel and was afraid at her reaction to him but Walter words stopped her.

“you’re the most beautiful woman I have ever met!” For the first time since Walter has entered the diner Susan lifted her head really looking at the man in front of her. His Jett ball hair neatly combed. Freshly shaven and smelled of the cologne that was more expensive than her rent. And all she manage to say in the mist of her surprise was a simple “thank you” before she ran to the kitchen her heart beating out of her chest.